Gov. elect Nathan Deal’s inaugural committee
In addition to the previous announcement of co-chairs Jay Morgan and Tricia Pridemore, the committee includes:
- Brian Kemp, Athens, secretary of state, honorary chairman
- David Hanna, Atlanta, finance chairman
- Robert Highsmith, Atlanta, counsel
- Sue Everhart, Marietta, Georgia GOP chairman
- Mandy Cronan, Gainesville, homemaker
- Steve Croy, Richmond Hill, CEO of Croy Realty Group
- Mary Dunagan, Gainesville, media specialist for Hall County Schools
- Susan Jessup, Gainesville, retired educator for Gainesville City Schools
- Thelma Kilpatrick, Statesboro, retired educator for Emanuel County Schools
- Lisa Leiter, Marietta, special education teacher for Cobb County Schools
- Kathy Lovett, Gainesville, retired educator for Hall County Schools
- Linda McWhorter, Whitesburg, homemaker and Republican activist
- Carolyn Meadows, Marietta, National Rifle Association and American Conservative Union board member
- Helen Rice, LaGrange, retired educator and community activist
- Ansley Saville, Rome, vice president of Coosa Steel Inc.
- Jerry Usry, Albany, government affairs consultant
- Mary Hart Wilheit, Gainesville, artist
- Vicki Zimmerman, Eatonton, real estate agent and interior designer
Compiled by Melissa Weinman
Gov.-elect Nathan Deal announced his full inaugural committee Monday, including a peppering of local supporters to help plan his entrance into office.
The 18 members of the executive committee will work with co-chairs Jay Morgan and Tricia Pridemore, who Deal presented during a news conference the morning after Election Day.
Among those appointed are Secretary of State Brian Kemp and Sue Everhart, chairwoman of the Georgia GOP.
Family and friends from Gainesville are also on the committee, including Deal’s sister-in-law Mary Dunagan, Mandy Cronan, the daughter-in-law of Deal’s business partner Ken Cronan, and Mary Hart Wilheit, wife of Deal’s campaign chairman Philip Wilheit.
“There’s some good Hall County representation on there, but it also reflects people from throughout the state as well,” Deal spokesman Harris Blackwood said. “These are people who have been supporters of the governor-elect as well as a few of their close personal friends who are supporters. We just wanted a wide representation of people and that’s who we have.”
The inaugural ceremony will be held Jan. 10, a date set by the Georgia constitution. The inaugural committee will be raising money as well as planning the events surrounding Deal’s inauguration.
“There will be several events. There will be the inaugural and a gala to follow that evening,” Blackwood said. “We’re raising money because it will not be done at taxpayer expense.”
Deal said the committee has not decided if there will be a cap on the amount that can be given by inaugural donors.
“But all donations will be disclosed,” Blackwood said.
He said it is likely some events will be open to the public while others will be by invitation only.
“We are already at work doing a number of different tasks getting ready for the events. We are making sure that we can accommodate the anticipated audience,” Blackwood said. “It will be in keeping with the style of the governor-elect and the first lady, both of whom are very involved in this process.”